Portable display device

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a portable display device having at lease two display elements, at least two foldable panel housings for receiving and supporting the display elements circuit boards and other parts, respectively, and optical elements provided on the top surface of the one of the sidewalls of the panel housings and mounted in a joint portion of the display elements, wherein one of the sidewalls of the panel housings are cut to form openings or a connecting joint portion, and the sidewalls of the optical elements is adjacently disposed each other when the panel housings are unfolded. The portable display device allows a single large sized screen, and whereby a joint portion between the two display panels as non-display area may be minimized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/915,392, filed Nov.26, 2007, now pending, the entire contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a foldable type portable display devicethat can realize the large-sized screen with plural display elements,and more particularly to a portable display device that optical elementsprovided on the top surfaces of display elements, respectively arearranged coming into contact each other when the display device isunfolded, thereby minimizing a non-display area on a joint portionbetween the adjacent display elements.

(b) Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a technology for realizing a large-sized screen with twoor more display elements was applied in a large display device. Inrecent years, as the mobile information system has been developed tohave a wireless internet function, a need of the large-sized screen ismore increased. However, the large-sized screen cannot meet the most ofportable characteristics of the portable display device and then afoldable type portable display device is suggested.

Generally, as flat display elements used for the portable displaydevice, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor(TFT)-LCD, a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP),an electro luminescent (EL), an electronic paper and etc., have beenused.

As a portable display device with multiple display elements, a foldabletype display device is suggested for increasing portablecharacteristics. In a prior foldable type display device, when panelhousings having display elements, respectively are unfolded, there is ajoint portion between the adjacent display elements. However, there areproblems that the display elements of the panel housings should beprecisely machined to minimize the width of the joint portion and thehigh reliability is need in the machining.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problemsdescribed above and it is an objective of the present invention toprovide a foldable display device that at least two foldable panelhousing for receiving a display element may be folded or unfolded,sidewalls of an optical elements coming into contact to form a singlelarge size screen in the unfolded position of the panel housings.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides aportable display device comprising;

at least two display elements;

at least two foldable panel housings for receiving and supporting thedisplay elements, electronic components for driving the displayelements; and

optical elements provided on the top of the one of the sidewalls of thepanel housings and mounted in a joint portion of the display elements;

wherein one of the sidewalls of the panel housings forms openings or aconnecting joint portion, and the sidewalls of the optical elements areadjacently disposed each other when the panel housings are unfolded.

The display elements are disposed in contact with one of the sidewallsthe panel housings, and a protecting member is provided on the opticalelement, and the protecting member and the optical element may beintegrally formed. Preferably, the distance between a pivot center ofthe panel housings and the optical element or the protecting member iswithin 1 mm when the panel housings are pivoted. And sealants forsealing an upper and lower substrates of the display elements ispositioned within 0.5 mm from pixels in the connecting joint portion ofthe display elements.

The optical elements are provided to change the path of the displaylight and the angle of the changing of the path is determined byconsidering a non-display area and a distance between the displayelements and the optical elements.

When the display elements are mounted on a supporting member, it ispreferred that the sidewalls of the supporting member is cut to form theopenings or the connecting joint portions.

When the display elements are mounted on a chassis, the sidewalls of thedisplay elements are covered only at the connecting joint portion of thedisplay elements.

Data signals and common signals provided to the first and second displayelements are preferably divided and an outer electrode for transferringdata signals and common signals are provided at the opposite side to thejoint portion of the display elements.

The present invention provides a foldable type portable display devicefor realizing the large-sized screen with a joint portion as anon-display area between two or more display panels is minimized.

According to the present invention, the non-display area as the jointportion may be compensate by means of an optical element, and thedriving signals are divided and transferred to two display elements forrealizing a single large-sized screen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating a foldable typeportable display device according to the present invention;

FIGS. 3 to 5 are sectional views showing unfolded panel housings of aportable display device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an perspective view showing a portable display device in apartially unfolded position;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing a portable display devicewith a joint gap between display elements according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a portable display device of whichthe panel housings are unfolded without the optical elements;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views illustrating an optical element;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portable display device with a coverremoved;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a portable display device with a panelhousing unfolded;

FIGS. 14 to 16 are perspective views showing a supporting member formounting a display panel assembly;

FIGS. 17 to 19 are views showing a chassis enclosing a display panelassembly;

FIGS. 20 and 21 are block diagrams of a driving circuit for driving twoscreens;

FIG. 22 is a view showing a display panel assembly with an outerelectrode array;

FIGS. 23 and 24 are perspective views showing an outer electrode arrayprovided at the opposite position to a joint portion of the chassis; and

FIGS. 25 and 26 are perspective views showing a supporting membermounted on a chassis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described more indetail hereinafter.

According to the present invention, a foldable type portable displaydevice realizing a large-sized screen by adjacently arranging at leasttwo flat display elements is provided. As flat display elements, aliquid crystal display (LCD), an electro luminescent (EL), a fieldemission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP) and an electricpaper and etc., may be used.

According to the present invention, two flat display elements arejointed to each other for forming a large-sized screen.

FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a foldable type portable display device according tothe present invention.

The foldable type portable display device in FIG. 1 comprises twodisplay elements 2 and 4 and two panel housings 20 and 40 for receivingthe display elements. When the display device is unfolded, opticalelements 27 provided at the display housings 20 and 40, respectively areshown. The panel housings 20 and 40 are provided with electroniccomponents for driving the display device and other parts.

The panel housings 20 and 40 are connected by a connecting member 6 suchthat the two panel housings can be folded or unfolded. A hinge is usedas the connecting member 6 in this preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows the display device according to the invention in foldedposition.

A cover 18 is provided at the adjacent opposite sidewalls of the panelhousings 20 and 40 for protecting sidewalls of the display elements 2and 4 or the optical elements 27.

FIGS. 3 to 5 are sectional views showing the unfolded panel housings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the optical elements 27 are provided on the top ofthe display elements 2 and 4, respectively and are adjacently disposedwhen the panel housings 20 and 40 are unfolded.

For more adjacent positioning of the optical elements 27 upon unfoldingof the panel housings 20 and 40, the optical elements 27 are disposed onthe top of the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40 coming intocontact. In this case, the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40 arepartially cut off to form an opening 8 b so that the optical elements 27may be more adjacently disposed each other. The detail shape of theopenings 8 b are shown in FIG. 13.

Accordingly, when the panel housings 20 and 40 are unfolded, the opticalelements 27 may be more adjacently positioned due to the cut-offopposite sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40.

The sidewalls of the display elements 2 and 4 may be protected from theouter impact due to the arrangement of the display elements positionedin contact with the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40, and theappropriate thickness of the panel housings 20 and 40.

The respective panel housings 20 and 40 are provided with a electroniccomponents 25 and 45 and a supporting member 26 and 46 for supportingthe display elements 2 and 4. Furthermore, a cap 24 is provided at themargin of the respective display elements 2 and 4. The cover 18 are notshown in the drawing for the simplicity of the drawing.

A common pivotal center A of the panel housings is positioned in thesame plain as formed by the top surface of the cap 24. That is, thepivotal center A is disposed at the same height as that of the cap.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention with aprotecting member 14. As seen in the drawing, the protecting member 14is mounted on an uneven-layer 24 a and 20 c formed at the inner wall ofthe cap 24 and the panel housings 20 and 40 to cover and protect of thefront corresponding to display area and sidewalls of the opticalelements 27. Also, the side portions (14 b) of the protecting member 14has preferably thinner thickness than that of the front portion (14 a)of the protecting member 14, thereby minimizing a joint portion 8 as anon-display area.

In the case that the side portions (14 b) of the protecting member 14 isa film, it should be thin and strong. Accordingly, the protecting filmis preferably a metal film or a synthetic resin film coated with a metalor a non-organic materials.

The optical element 27 are provided under the protecting member 14 andthe protecting member 14 may be integrated with the optical element 27.The optical element 27 may be a micro-prism or a micro-lens. In thiscase, the integration with the optical element 27 and the protectingmember 14 means that the micro-prism or the micro-lens is provided onthe underside of the protecting member 14. It is preferable that theprotecting member has a thickness less than 1 mm, more preferably lessthan 0.5 mm.

The protecting member 14 comprises the side portion 14 b for protectingthe side portion of the optical element 27 and the front portion 14 afor protecting the front portion of the optical element 27. It ispreferred that the thickness of the side portion 14 b is thinner thanthat of the front portion 14 a to reduce the width of the non-displayarea, preferably less than 0.5 mm. The side portion 14 b may be coatedwith a metal or a non-organic materials to protect from the moisturetransmission and to give a rigidity.

FIG. 5 shows a display device where a connecting joint portion isprovided at each of the sidewalls of the panel housings.

When the panel housings 20 and 40 are unfolded, the optical elements 27are adjacently positioned and the connecting joint portions 20 a and 40a is rested therebetween. Accordingly, the connecting joint portions 20a and 40 a block the openings 8 b. That is, the optical elements 27 maybe adjacently positioned due to the openings 8 b or the connecting jointportions 20 a and 40 a formed by cutting-off of the opposite sidewallsof the panel housings 20 and 40.

It is preferable that the connecting joint portions 20 a and 40 a arethinner than other area of the panel housings 20 and 40, more preferablyless than 0.5 mm.

And, the other area of panel housings 20 and 40 have a thickness lessthan 1.5 mm.

FIG. 6 shows a display device with the panel housings are partiallyfolded.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the panel housings are partially folded, ajoint gap 8 a is formed at the joint portion 8 adjacent to the oppositesidewalls of the optical elements 27 or the display elements 2 and 4. Asthe joint gap 8 a becomes a drawback in the display device, it ispreferable that a width of the joint gap is as less as possible.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an embodiment in which the joint gap is narrowlyformed according to the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the panel housings 20 and 40 are folded orunfolded around the pivoting center A of the panel housings 20 and 40.Accordingly, the less the distance between the pivotal center A and theprotecting member 14 or the optical element 27, the less the joint gapis. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the protecting member 14 or the opticalelement 27 is spaced at the very reduced distance from the pivotalcenter A. Accordingly, as shown in the drawings, the distance betweenthe pivotal center A and the protecting member 14 or the optical element27 is preferable within 1 mm. The protecting member 14 or the opticalelement 27 is almost in accord with the pivotal center A or is spacedwithin the distance of 0.1 mm from the pivotal center A.

The distance mentioned above means the distance between the pivotalcenter A and the connecting joint portion 20 a when the connecting jointportion 20 a is formed, as shown in FIG. 7, and means the distancebetween the pivotal center A and the optical element 27 when theconnecting joint portion 20 a is not formed, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a display device in the unfolded panelhousings without the optical elements.

In the drawing, the opposite sidewalls of the display elements 2 and 4are very close to the sidewalls of the panel housings or come intocontact with the sidewalls of the panel housings, thereby minimizing awidth of the joint portion 8 of the display elements.

The circle in the drawing shows the expanded joint portion 8. Theprotecting member 14 or protecting film is provided between the displayelements and the panel housings. Arrays of pixels 2 e and 4 e of thedisplay elements, respectively are adjacently positioned to the jointportion 8. Sealants 2 f and 4 f are provided adjacent to the pixelarrays 2 e and 4 e. The sealants 2 f and 4 f are preferably provided atthe position within 0.5 mm from the pixels 2 e and 4 e. It is preferredthat the sealants are applied within the thickness range of 0.5 mm.

As the joint portion 8 is a non-display area in the display elements 2and 4, as shown in FIG. 9, the non-display area corresponds to the areaof the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40, the protecting member14 or film, and sealants 2 f and 4 f. The non-display area is indicatedby B in the drawing and the total non-display area is two times B. Theprotecting film may be a conventional metal film or synthetic resin.

To minimize the non-display area, the end portion of the optical elementis preferably extended into the non-display area. The optical elements27 is provided on the top of the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and40 to minimize the non-display area.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show the arrangement of the optical elements.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the optical element for changing the pathof the display light. The optical element comprises a light transmissionmember 27 a formed of a transparent plastic material such aspolyacrylate or polyethylene terephthalate(PET), a plurality ofreflection members 27 b provided in a light transmission member 27 a forchanging a direction of the display light and a diffusion plate 27 c fordispersing the light.

As shown in the drawings, an inclination of the reflection member 27 bin the optical element 27 may be obtained from the following formula(I);

tan α=A/B

wherein A is a distance between the top surface of the optical element27 and the display panel 2; and B is the width of the non-display areaas shown in FIG. 9.

Also, in case that the optical element 27 is provided with a micro-lensfor magnification, the magnification ratio is determined considering thevalues of A and B.

FIG. 11 shows a distance from the display elements to the surface of theoptical elements.

The display elements includes an upper substrate 2 i and a lowersubstrate 2 j.

As shown in the drawing, the display light emitted toward the displayelements 2 and 4 is initially transferred from an electrode assembly 2h, the distance from the display element 2 to the surface of the opticalelement 27 becomes A′. Thus, the A in the formula (I) may be replaced byA′.

FIG. 12 shows a display device with the cover 18 exploded.

A recess 28 is formed at the panel housings 20 and 40 for receiving thecover 18. The joint gap 8 a is existed between the optical elements 27.However, the joint gap 8 a may be almost removed by minimizing the gapbetween the optical elements 27.

In FIG. 12, the sidewalls of the optical elements 27 are expressed in adotted line, which means that the sidewalls of the optical elements maybe exposed or not. That is, the sidewalls of the optical elements 27 maybe exposed in the structure in FIG. 3, but may be not exposed if theconnecting joint portions 20 a and 40 a are formed as in FIG. 5. Thecover 18 is adapted to move for allowing that the optical elements 27are adjacently disposed each other when the panel housings 20 and 40 areunfolded.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view showing the folded panel housings.

The cover 18 and the recess 28 are omitted in FIG. 13 for simplicity ofthe drawing. In FIG. 13, the distances L1 and L2 from a pivotal center Ato the optical elements 27, respectively are the same. The distances D1and D2 from the pivotal center A to the display elements 2 and 4,respectively are also the same.

Accordingly, when the panel housings 20 and 40 are unfolded, the opticalelements 27 come into contact or, are adjacently positioned.

The sidewalls of the optical elements 27 may be exposed through theopenings 8 b, or the sidewalls of the optical elements 27 may not beexposed in the structure that the connecting joint portions 20 a and 40a are formed at the sidewalls of the panel housings 20 and 40.

FIGS. 14 to 16 show a supporting member for mounting a display elements.

Generally, a display element 2 comprises an display panel 2 a, a drivingcircuit board 2 b, a back light 30 and a supporting member 160.Therefore, the respective display elements 2 and 4 in FIGS. 2 to 4 meana supporting member 160 which is mounted with a display panel 2 a, adriving circuit board 2 b and a back light 30. A sidewall of thesupporting member 160 corresponding to the joint portion 8 of thedisplay element 2 is cut-off, thereby minimizing the non-display areabetween the display elements 2 and 4. Also, the connecting jointportions 160 e and 160 f may be formed at the supporting member 160 tominimize the non-display area. At this time, the connecting jointportions 160 e and 160 f are mounted at the joint portion 8 of the panelhousings 20 and 40 so that the non-display area may be minimized.

FIG. 15 shows the supporting member 160 of which the sidewalls are cutand opened to form the connecting joint portions 160 e and 160 f.

FIG. 16 shows the supporting member with the connecting joint portions160 e and 160 f formed by the thinner sidewalls thereof. The connectingjoint portions of the supporting member are formed more thinner thanother portions of the supporting member 160, so that the connectingjoint portions 160 e and 160 f preferably have thickness within 0.3 mm.The connecting joint portions 160 e and 160 f are indicated in a dotline in FIG. 16 to express its thinner thickness.

The display panels 2 a and 4 a and a back light are mounted on a plate160 a of the supporting member 160.

FIGS. 17 to 19 show a display element enclosed by a chassis.

As shown in drawings, the display panel 2 a and driving circuit board 2b and 2 c are enclosed by the chassis 16. A conventional film type maybe used as a driving circuit board. The display elements 2 and 4 inFIGS. 2 to 4 may mean a assembly of the display panel 2 a, the drivingcircuit board 2 b, the back light 30 and the chassis 16 for enclosingthem.

The chassis means an enclosing member of a metal material such asaluminum for enclosing a display panel and a driving circuit board. Atthis time, the driving circuit board 2 b and 2 c may be mounted on thesupporting member 160 or the chassis 16 with an outer electrode 2 k ofthe display panel 2 a coupled thereto in a folded state. A size of thedisplay element is reduced by coupling the outer electrode 2 k to therespective upper panel 2 i and lower panel 2 j of the display panel 2 ain a folded state.

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing the structure that the display panel2 a, driving circuit and back light 30 are enclosed by the chassis 16. Aportion of the chassis 16 corresponding to the joint portion 8 coversthe sidewall of the display panel 2 a only, but does not cover the upperportion of the display panel, thereby minimizing the non-display area.

That is, a connecting joint portion 16 a of the chassis, which therespective display elements 2 and 4 come into contact thereto, coversthe sidewall of the display element. Also, the connecting joint portion16 a is designed to be thinner than other area of the chassis tominimize the non-display area.

FIG. 19 shows a chassis having an open type connecting joint portion.

The joint portion 8 is cut off to be opened, which the sidewalls of thedisplay elements 2 and 4 contact thereto or closely adjacentlypositioned. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 19, the connecting jointportion 16 a is opened and the sidewalls of the display elements 2 and 4are exposed.

Also, the connecting joint portion of the chassis 16 is mounted on thejoint portion 8 of the panel housings 20 and 40, thereby minimizing thenon-display area.

FIGS. 20 and 21 are block diagrams of a driving circuit for driving twoscreens as a single screen.

The first and second display panels 2 a and 4 a are connected to a firstand second source driving driver 2 c and 4 c, and to a first and secondgate driving driver 2 b and 4 b, respectively.

A signal output from display device is transmitted to a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA) 100. The FPGA (100) includes a row dataprocessing section 110, a column data processing section 140, a memorydevice 130 and a timing controller 120. And a power supply source 200 isconnected to the FPGA.

A driving signal from the column data processing section 140 istransmitted to the source driving driver 2 c and 4 c, and a drivingsignal from row data processing section 110 is transmitted to the gatedriving driver 2 b and 4 b. The respective driving drivers are connectedto the display panel 2 a for displaying an image thereon. The timingcontroller 120 controls the synchronization of the signals from thesource driving driver and gate driving driver.

The signal from the source driving driver may be a data signal and thesignal from the gate driving driver may be an common signal.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, to drive the two display panels 2 a and 4a, the source driving driver 2 c and 4 c, and the gate driving driver 2b and 4 b should be connected to the display panels 2 a and 4 a,respectively. And a driving signal is transmitted to the source drivingdriver 2 c and 4 c and the gate driving driver 2 b and 4 b,respectively.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing the same signal is supplied to thefirst and second source driving driver 2 c and 4 c for supplying datasignals to the display panels 2 a and 4 a. The first gate driving driver2 b and the second gate driving driver 4 b are time-divided, and thecommon signal is supplied to the first gate driving driver 2 b first,and secondly the common signal is supplied to the second gate drivingdriver 4 b.

On the other hand, in the block diagram in FIG. 21, the same signal issupplied to the first and second gate driving driver 2 b and 4 b,respectively for supplying common signals to the display panels 2 a and4 a. Accordingly, the data signal is divided and the respective dividedsignals are supplied to the first and second source driving drivers 2 cand 4 c.

For example, when the respective first and second display panels 2 a and4 a are linked to the source driving drivers via the number of nelectrode lines, the total data lines are 2 n for two integrated displaypanels. An image signal memoried in the memory device 130 is divided andthe divided data signals of the 1st line to (n)th data line are suppliedto the first source driving driver 2 c, while the divided signals of the(n+1)th line to (2 n)th line are supplied to the second source drivingdriver 4 c.

Accordingly, when the driving signals is supplied to the respectivedisplay panels 2 a and 4 a, the display panels 2 a and 4 a are driven toreproduce a single image.

Furthermore, it is possible to combine the driving methods illustratedin the block diagrams in FIGS. 20 and 21 for driving the display panels.That is, it is possible to supply the time-divided data signals to thefirst and second source driving drives 2 c and 4 c together withsupplying the time-divided common signals to the first and second gatedriving drivers 2 b and 4 b. And the gate driving driver and the sourcedriving driver may be made in a single integrated chip. Therefore, thedrawings illustrated in the present invention are example configurationsof the circuit for driving two display panels in single large sizedscreen.

FIG. 22 shows an outer electrode array of the display element.

Typically, a driving drive I.C. may be coupled to the outer electrodearrays 51, 52 and 53 of the display panels 2 a and 4 a. As shown in thedrawing, a plurality of pixels 50 are arranged in the display panel andthe respective positions of the pixels are represented in the x-ycoordinates. For driving the pixels, the outer electrodes are drawn outfrom the two sides of the display panel having the four sides. However,for the production of on a large scale and a competitive price, a singledriving drive I.C. with a single integrated chip may be used.

As shown in FIG. 22, the electrode array 51 in the x axis is drawn outfrom one side of the display panel, while the electrode array in the yaxis is divisionally drawn out from the two opposite sides of thedisplay panels and the divisional two electrode arrays 52 and 53 arearranged in the same direction of the x axis electrode array via twocoupling electrode arrays 52 a and 53 a. The coupling electrode arrays52 a and 53 a are roughly shown in the drawing for the simplicitythereof. The outer electrode arrays are enlarged by circle C.

As the outer electrode is arranged at one side of the display panel 2 aand 4 a, the driving driver for transferring the data signal and commonsignal which is formed in a single integrated circuit chip, are coupledto the display panel.

In this case, it is preferred that the outer electrode for transferringthe data signal and common signal is disposed at the side opposite tothe side where the joint portion 8 between the two display panels 2 aand 4 a is located.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are views showing another embodiment of the displaydevice according to the present invention, where the outer electrode isprovided at the side opposite to the joint portion of the supportingmember.

FIG. 23 shows the outer electrode 2 k comprising the outer electrodearrays 51, 52 and 53 for coupling the driving driver supplying the datasignal and common signal to the display panel 2 a. The electrode 2 k isdisposed at the opposite side to the joint portion 8 of the supportingmember 160. The coupling electrodes 52 a and 53 a, or the outerelectrode array 51, 52 and 53 are not disposed at the joint portion 8 ofthe display panel 2 a, thereby minimizing the non-display area.

A circuit coupler 2 e is coupled to the outer electrode 2 k fortransferring the signals from the driving circuit to the display panel.The supporting member 160 is mounted on the panel housings 20 and 40 oron the chassis 16 by the fixing plate 161 with a screw hole 161 a.

The circuit coupler 2 e is disposed at the opposite side to the jointportion 8 to minimize the width of the joint portion 8.

Although, the sidewall of the display panel 2 a is exposed at the sideof the joint portion 8 of the supporting member 160, if necessary, suchexposure may be prevented or the synthetic resin may be applied at thesidewall of the display panel or back light for its protection.

FIG. 24 shows two supporting members symmetrically assembled each other.When the panel housings 20 and 40 are unfolded, the supporting members160 with the display panels 2 a and 4 a are symmetric around the jointportion 8.

As shown in the drawing, the outer electrodes 2 k of the display panel 2a in the supporting member 160 are located at the opposite side to thejoint portion 8, and the display panel 2 a is coupled to the drivingcircuit board via the circuit couplers 2 e and 4 e.

FIGS. 25 and 26 show the chassis wherein the supporting member ismounted thereon.

As shown in the drawings, the upper portion of the joint portion 8 inthe chassis 16 is not covered, but the side is covered. The sidewall ofthe chassis around the joint portion is thinner than other area thereof.Therefore, the non-display area may be minimized.

Also, as shown in FIG. 26, the sidewall of the chassis 16 around thejoint portion may be opened, so that the sidewall of the display panel 2a is exposed. In this case, a protecting layer of synthetic resin isapplied the sidewalls of the display panels 2 a and back light.

Furthermore, when the display panel 2 a is mounted on the chassis 16, asshown in the drawing, the outer electrode 2 k, where the electrodearrays 51, 52 and 53 for transferring the data signals and commonsignals are provided therein, is arranged at the opposite side to thejoint portion 8 of the chassis 16. However, the outer electrode 2 k iscovered by an upper portion of the chassis 16.

The chassis 16 may be mounted on the panel housing by means of a chassisfixing plate 16 c.

When the connecting joint portion of the supporting member 160 orchassis 16 are assembled in the openings or the connecting joint portionof the panel housing 20 and 40, and thus the outer electrode 2 k isdisposed at the connecting joint portions 20 a and 40 a or opening 8 bof the panel housing 20 and 40.

When the display panels 2 a and 4 a are mounted on the panel housings 20and 40, both the supporting member 160 or chassis 16 may not be used, sothe supporting member 160 may become the chassis 16.

That is, the supporting member and chassis are merely an protectingmember which may be integrated as a module for display panel and circuitboard. The supporting member 160 may be commonly made of plasticmaterials and the chassis 16 may be made of metal such as aluminium.

As described above, the present invention provides a foldable typeportable display device for realizing the large-sized screen with thejoint portion as non-display area between the two or more displayelements is minimized.

According to the present invention, the non-display area as the jointportion may be compensate by means of the optical elements, and thedriving signals are divided and transferred to the two display elementsfor realizing a single large-sized screen.

1. A portable display device comprising: at lease two display elements;and at least two foldable panel housings, each of the two foldable panelhousings receives and supports the display element and electroniccomponents; wherein the adjacent display elements are adjacentlydisposed each other at a joint portion and form a large-sized screenwhen the two foldable panel housings are unfolded and at least someparts of the joint portion are a non-display area and the width of thenon-display is equal or less than 5 mm.
 2. The portable display deviceof claim 1, wherein the joint portion is the sidewalls of the panelhousings.
 3. The portable display device of claim 1, further comprisingthe protecting members for protecting the front and the side of thedisplay elements and the thickness of side portions of the protectingmembers is thinner than that of front portions of the protectingmembers.
 4. The portable display device of claim 3, wherein the sideportion of the protecting members is coated with a metal or anon-organic materials.
 5. The portable display device of claim 1,wherein the sidewalls of the panel housings are disposed between theadjacent display elements.
 6. The portable display device of claim 1,further comprising an optical elements on each of the display elementsand the adjacent optical elements are also moves closer to each otherwhen the two foldable panel housings are unfolded.
 7. The portabledisplay device of claim 1, the width of the non-display area of eachdisplay element is equal or less than 1 mm.
 8. The portable displaydevice of claim 1, wherein the display elements have a sealant at thejoint portion and the thickness of the sealant is less than 0.5 mm. 9.The portable display device of claim 7, wherein each of the displayelements has a pixels and the distance between the pixels and thesealant at the joint portion is less than 0.5 mm.
 10. The portabledisplay device of claim 1, wherein the display elements have an outerelectrodes for receiving common signal and data signal and the outerelectrodes are disposed on one side of the display elements.
 11. Theportable display device of claim 10, wherein the outer electrodes aredisposed at the opposite side of the side formed joint portions.
 12. Theportable display device of claim 1, further comprising the protectingmembers for protecting the display elements and the protecting membersare disposed between the adjacent display elements.
 13. The portabledisplay device of claim 12, wherein the protecting members are mountedon the panel housings.